Ski prepared

Whenever you’re going on a skiing vacation, it is well worth covering all preparation bases before leaving your home. As can be seen below, there are plenty of things to consider other than the timing and destination of your holiday.

First of all, and perhaps most importantly, you should contact the airline that you’re traveling with to confirm the amount and size of luggage that you are permitted to take on board, as well as your skis and other gear. Usually each piece of checked-in hold baggage will incur a fee, which is payable online or at the airport at a higher charge, so make sure to do this before packing, else you’ll be kicking yourself when you find an expensive surcharge for the extra weight. After all, you don’t want a per-kilo fee cancelling out the money you saved on bagging those bargain flights.

Make sure that you don’t forget anything! As well as confirming that you have the essentials, such as your passport, plane tickets, hotel and, if necessary, car reservations, why not take copies of each with you too? A quick check list can help no end and you can never be over-prepared! It’s also important that you remember to take the little things with you as well, or else you could end up paying a fortune for them at some resorts; things like your sun cream, sunglasses, camera, ski socks, lip balm, etc.

If you’re hiring your skis when you arrive at the resort, then a top tip is to take your boot bag with you on board the plane as carry-on luggage. You’d be amazed as to just how much you can fit in there, and so get your boots, goggles and a day's worth of ski clothing and essentials so that, should there be any trouble with your luggage, you can still get out on the slopes and not let it affect your skiing time.

If you’re traveling with your own equipment, it’s always worth considering whether or not it might be best to rent a car, particularly if you’re planning on visiting a number of pistes. It is always advisable to book hire cars ahead of your journey so that you can shop around for the cheapest deals, and avoid having to wait around in the airport for your car once you arrive.

It’s always worth putting a great deal of thought into the types of clothes that you should take with you. Take lots of polo necks, long johns, hats, waterproof gloves, and plenty of jumpers for the evenings. Make sure that you have an excellent ski jacket and set of ski trousers; the breathable types are the best, so that if you get too hot, you can literally let off some steam. It is also worth taking some proper walking boots with you for when you’re away and just wandering around.

You’d be amazed at how much proper and effective planning can help you to make the very most of your ski trip, both in terms of time, money, and unnecessary worry saved.